A figure could be seen diving into the water. He went deeper until he reached an area filled with darkness. He entered the tiny black hole that seemed like a portal to the underworld.
He soon appeared in a strange place filled with darkness, where multiple strange creatures slowly revealed themselves. They were black with a shade of purple on their bodies. Instead of their eyes, they had a purple fire burning inside their eye sockets.
Rishi looked around and found many familiar faces. He approached them and saw that they appeared a little different. They have become more lifelike. They have also calmed down, becoming very different from their initial selves. One of them approached him. He was different from the others.
He looked almost humanoid, clad in armor made of ice. He tapped his black spear on the ground and kneeled; a terrifying, strange, black-colored Raptor Beast appeared behind him. The boy approached and checked him; he appeared to be much stronger than before.
He was very close to looking like any other creature. His presence had also become a lot stronger. He asked him to rise and continued moving while the other shadow creatures didn't kneel before him. They bowed to him as a sign of respect; none of them had forgotten how this boy had fought.
The scene of him bathed in blood, smiling, and jumping at opponents was still fresh in their memories. He struck one opponent after another using different weapons that he took out of the air, but that was not what landed them. What was most scary about this person was the strange, big eye that appeared behind him. It sent shivers down their backs as they recalled it.
That eye that looked like an illusion looked like the eye of an abyssal being looking down at mortals. The waves of killing intent that appeared out of it one after another looked endless. They were no strangers to killing intent, but they had never witnessed something like that.
The boy entered the gate and passed by two more to reach the main hall. It was still as mysterious as the first time he saw it. The pillars filled with strange patterns and carvings had their own story to tell; the lifelike statues of warriors still looked terrifying.
He bathed and cleaned himself before appearing again in front of the statue. Raven had told him that it was sort of a ritual for anyone who entered this shrine. There was another reason he happily accepted it: every time he bathed in this water, he felt like his body became more compatible with the shadow energy.
He had a physique suitable for using shadow energy. It was as if it nourished it, and now he felt like he could use shadow energy with more control. His physical body also improved due to it. He lost a lot of fat, and his bulky body became more slim, as if attaining the best form.
The bulky, muscular physique increased strength and defense, but that didn't benefit Rishi the most. He liked to be more agile and flexible, but that cost him muscle loss, which reduced his strength. Only this pool helped him lose a lot of excess mass without losing strength. It also made his muscles tighter and stronger.
It also had the effect of clearing the skin and body, while his shadow core already helped him. This additional cleaning gave him a better physique, which allowed him to sense and control mana to a higher level.
'Did you have fun, kid?' appeared a voice inside his head. He turned his head and saw Raven looking at him.
They discussed more about their plans, and Rishi explained to him about the town he saw. They planned about how to proceed, and Raven heard suggestions from Rishi.
"I think for now we should focus on increasing the number of Shadow Soldiers. There is no need to fight them directly. Send the Shadow Priests to lead troops and raid the secluded Lizardman villages. In the meantime, I will focus on increasing my strength."
"If we attack them now, we will warn our other opponents even if we succeed in defeating them. You just need to amass the forces and be patient. I may need several months to fully create the Mana Viens Network, but trust me, once I have completed it, the first thing I will do is attack their strongholds."
"We can use this time to spy on them, find more information, and prepare a detailed plan. It will take me only one night to eliminate multiple of their towns. With momentum with us, we will be able to easily defeat them and control this region as the only Lord."
Raven looked at the confident expression on his face and sighed. He had different plans, but he found Rishi's plan to be better. They discussed some more things before Rishi left the shrine and went to the surface. He liked the outside atmosphere better.
***
In the dappled light of the ancient forest, Rishi embarked on his journey to create his Mana Vein Network. Seated atop the tallest tree's sturdy branch, he began the crucial first step—meditative focus. With legs crossed and palms resting gently on his knees, he closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath.
As he exhaled, he felt the world around him fade away, leaving only the rustling leaves and the whisper of the wind. In this serene solitude, he delved into the depths of his consciousness. It was a place of quietude and introspection where he sought to connect with the inner reservoirs of his energy.
Rishi could feel the subtle vibrations coursing through his body, like a river of unseen power. With each passing moment, his awareness sharpened, and he became attuned to the presence and flow of mana within him. It was a dance of ethereal threads, a symphony of life force waiting to be harnessed. As he delved deeper, his understanding of his body increased, and he was able to recognize how it interacted with the energies inside his body.
With unwavering determination, he continued to meditate high above the forest floor, forging a profound connection between himself and the mana that coursed through his veins. It was the first step in completing the mana vein connection throughout his body.
Days passed by, and he meditated most of the time. In the other time, he practiced his newly learned techniques to master them, learned about runes, hunted some beasts, devoured beast meat, and took a long herbal bath.
He could feel that he was getting stronger with each passing day, and his control over his strength had also drastically increased. He never knew focusing on his body would help him so much; his mind also became calm, and his mental tolerance increased. He could now harness more killing intent without losing his reasoning.
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